Anthropic's newest AI model could wreak havoc. Most in power aren't ready
TL;DR
Anthropic has begun a tightly controlled release of Mythos, the first AI model that officials believe is capable of bringing down a Fortune 100 company, crippling swaths of the internet or penetrating vital national defense systems. Why it matters: This is the scary phase of AI — a model deemed so powerful that its full release into the wild could unleash untold catastrophe. So only carefully vetted companies and organizations, about 40 so far, are getting access. Based on our conversations with government and private-sector officials briefed on Mythos, this isn't hyperbole. It's reality. Some inside the government fear that most top leaders are oblivious to the sudden danger from terrorists or hostile powers. "D.C. governs by crisis," said a source briefed on Mythos. "Until this is a crisis, and gets the attention and resources it deserves, cyber is kind of a backwater." The big picture.
Nauti's Take
The controlled release of Mythos is a responsible approach to a model with genuine risk potential. At the same time, it raises an uncomfortable question: if 40 companies already have access, who really controls misuse?
Greater transparency around high-risk AI decisions is more urgent than ever.
Summary
Anthropic has begun a tightly controlled release of Mythos, the first AI model that officials believe is capable of bringing down a Fortune 100 company, crippling swaths of the internet or penetrating vital national defense systems. Why it matters: This is the scary phase of AI — a model deemed so powerful that its full release into the wild could unleash untold catastrophe.
So only carefully vetted companies and organizations, about 40 so far, are getting access. Based on our conversations with government and private-sector officials briefed on Mythos, this isn't hyperbole.
It's reality. Some inside the government fear that most top leaders are oblivious to the sudden danger from terrorists or hostile powers.
"D. C.
governs by crisis," said a source briefed on Mythos. "Until this is a crisis, and gets the attention and resources it deserves, cyber is kind of a backwater.
" The big picture
Sources